THE 2024-25 NBA schedule released gives a glimpse of what’s to come before the new season. Expectations for the Charlotte Hornets are more optimistic with the new regime in place to take off. Jeff Peterson spent the offseason accumulating more young talents from the draft and having veterans on the roster to build around LaMelo Ball And Brandon Miller. Both players will need to make All-Star-worthy strides for this team to remain competitive. Optimism isn’t enough to win games, but there are expectations for this team moving forward. Let’s dive into some bold Hornets predictions.
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LaMelo Ball will return to All-Star level as long as he can
When healthy, Ball is a productive, high-level point guard. He was an All-Star in his second season in 2022 after winning Rookie of the Year the previous season. Ball has the potential to have a similar impact to some of the other emerging young point guards in the Eastern Conference. Think Jalen Brunson or Tyrese Haliburton with their respective teams. Both guys are capable of moving the offense forward from a playmaking and scoring standpoint.
The New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers are more experienced veterans, but Ball can spark growth in the Queen City. Ankle issues hampered Ball early in his career, but he still has plenty of time to dominate his role and show he can be the Hornets’ best player. The East has a few guards who are sure to earn an All-Star appearance in 2025, but Ball is up there with them. Barring any setbacks, it’s an achievable goal for him.
Brandon Miller to be Hornets’ leading scorer in second year
Despite the return of LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges as two other solid scoring options, Brandon Miller’s second season should be a memorable one. After being the No. 2 overall pick behind Victor Wembanyama in the 2023 NBA Draft, it’s easy to forget that Miller had a good rookie seasonHe averaged 17.3 points per game, second only to Wembanyama, and led rookies in three-pointers made per game with 2.5. He did that while being the primary target of scouting reports with Ball out and Bridges finding his way back into the offense after being sidelined for weeks to serve his suspension.
Miller has been the focal point of the offense for most of the season, so entering Year 2 with a healthy Ball and a revamped roster should help him carry the scoring load in Year 2. Think 20-25 for what we could see him do next to the rest of the talent. His teammates will likely even start to defer to him as he becomes the true number one scoring option.
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Play-In Tournament Appearance
The Eastern Conference isn’t as loaded as the Western Conference, so this isn’t as far-fetched a prediction as it might seem. In reality, Charlotte is still a few pieces or years away from becoming a mainstay in the playoff picture on an annual basis. The play-in tournament seems like a safe prediction to see if they can prove they’re ready for a taste of basketball through mid- to late-April.
The Celtics, Knicks, Milwaukee Bucks, Indiana Pacers, Philadelphia 76ers, Cleveland Cavaliers and Orlando Magic could be guaranteed playoff berths in 2025. That still leaves Charlotte with a chance, or two depending on the seeding, to contend for a playoff spot.
It’s hard to imagine Charlotte winning fewer games than they did last year if they’re healthy. Ball, Miller, and Bridges make up the big three on this team, but there are other pieces that fit well around them. Like Mark and Grant Williams in their frontcourt. Every prediction is based on the assumption that they’ll be healthy for most of the season. If their key players can weather what will be a long 82-game storm, Charlotte could turn heads in 2025.
